What a demoralizing week it was watching this country’s consensus media’s last-gasp attempt to transform the unpalatable rubbish dished out by Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence into some kind of haute cuisine.

Most of it was overwhelmingly nauseous.

“She leaves Ottawa with her head high,” read the lead sentence in one editorial, adding that Spence’s “courageous 44-day fast epitomized the hunger of Canada’s First Nations for recognition and a square deal.”

This “head high” and “courageous” tripe was in stark contrast, of course, to an earlier national editorial in Sun Media that called a spade a spade and had Spence’s only accomplishment during her sorry charade as the “mesmerizing (of) the gullible.”

And then there were all the national news columnists weighing in, one who damned near wept over the abuse rightfully heaped upon the beleaguered chief who, instead of this “head high” nonsense, should be hanging her head in shame.

“Theresa Spence didn’t deserve the snide, accusatory asides and the social media slurring about her Escalade, her double chin, jokes about her ‘diet,’ gossip about her partner, her personal income, her showers and naps in a nearby hotel,” read one of the bleeding hearts.

“She didn’t deserve to have unflattering audit leaked while she was fasting in an unforgiving winter climate.”

Didn’t deserve? Of course she deserved it.

She set her own trap, and then she stepped in it.

Face it, that supposedly “unforgiving winter climate” of Ottawa is decidedly more endurable than the truly unforgivable weather of Attawapiskat, particularly when there is a comfortable big-city hotel nearby where one can sneak off to take those showers and naps while supporters are left believing she is stoically holed up in a teepee.

Perhaps Spence’s supporters should publicly pony up the hotel bill to prove she spent only a modicum of time there, and steered clear of both room service and the mini-bar.

Until that happens, the joke’s on the believers. And on the media who dared not ask her the obvious question.

As for Spence not “deserving” being slagged about her Escalade, her “double chin” and “gossip” about her partner, again, why not?

Why is it not right for taxpayers to know why Spence spent publicly funded money on a top-end Cadillac to drive about an isolated reserve that has no roads leading to it, while her malnourished people are still living in unheated shacks?

Why is it that she does not “deserve” to be questioned about her “diet” — she called it a “hunger strike” — when, after 44 days, she exhibited no noticeable weight loss?

And why did she not “deserve” to be questioned about her partner Clayton Kennedy who, after having gone through his own bankruptcy in 1996, was being paid $850 a day in taxpayers’ money to oversee the finances of Attawapiskat that, according to a federal audit that was supposedly “undeservedly leaked,” is virtually devoid of accountability?

This, too, is undeniable. The audit spoke volumes.

While Theresa Spence’s tempest in a teepee at least put her within question range for the national media in Ottawa, she obviously wanted no questions asked that would burst her bubble or discredit a cause she wanted to perpetuate as noble.

Why else, for example, would First Nations police toss a Global television crew out of Attawapiskat while Spence, who ordered media off the reserve following the audit’s release, was still seeking attention in Ottawa.

If there was nothing to hide, or nothing to fear, Theresa Spence should have had no problem. But she did.

So much for the nobleness of her 15 minutes of fame.

It was the grassroots Idle No More movement — not Spence and not grandstanding chiefs deflecting their own guilt — who caught the public’s attention and, now that the Harper government is prepared for more sitdowns, it is time Idle No More makes a change of target.

Go after the chiefs and the band councils who supposedly lead the most squalid reserves where the poverty is soul-killing, and demand an accounting of where all the millions have gone.

If they refuse, take them to court.

Do that, and all Canadians will embrace the cause.

— Bonokoski is Sun Media’s national editorial writer

Bonokoski

Chief’s 15 minutes are up: Grassroots Idle No More didn’t need Theresa Spence and now should go after chiefs and band councils

What a demoralizing week it was watching this country’s consensus media’s last-gasp attempt to transform the unpalatable rubbish dished out by Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence into some kind of haute cuisine.

Most of it was overwhelmingly nauseous.

“She leaves Ottawa with her head high,” read the lead sentence in one editorial, adding that Spence’s “courageous 44-day fast epitomized the hunger of Canada’s First Nations for recognition and a square deal.”

This “head high” and “courageous” tripe was in stark contrast, of course, to an earlier national editorial in Sun Media that called a spade a spade and had Spence’s only accomplishment during her sorry charade as the “mesmerizing (of) the gullible.”

And then there were all the national news columnists weighing in, one who damned near wept over the abuse rightfully heaped upon the beleaguered chief who, instead of this “head high” nonsense, should be hanging her head in shame.